Means and method for making nuts



.March 23, 1937.

R. L. WILCOX.

'MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING NUTS Filed Jan. 8, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 H a W (1 i 26 49 "Ill" March 23, 1937. R. L. wlLc-ox 12,074,678

5 AND. METHOD FOR MAKING NUTS Filed Jan. 8, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3' tom RichwrdLeiermlcom, V f

Patented Mar. 23, 1 93 7 I v t UNITED STAT S PATENTT'OFFICE .MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING NUTS Richard Lester Wilcox, Waterbury, Com, as-

signor' to The Waterbury Farrel Foundry and a Machine Company, Waterbury, Comm, a corporation of Connecticut Application January 8, 1932, Serial in. 585,526 22 Claims. (01. 10-86) This invention relates to new and improved Figure 8 a fragmentary sectional view of a pormeans and method for making nuts, more partiction of the tools at the last pressure station; ularly of the castellated type. Figure 9 a face view of the punch shown in It is the object of this invention, among other Figure 8; things, to makea nut of the type indicated from Figure 10 a portion thereof, the part in seca blank by pressure and to provide mechanism tion being taken generally upon line Ill-40 of therefor whereby the nut will be produced in its Figure 9; substantially finished form with only a very Figure 11 is a perspective view of that portion minimum amount of labor to be performed therethereof adjacent to its working face; on to make it a complete nu Figure 12 is a perspective view of the punch The type of nut illustrated in the drawings is at the third station; of the castellated type with a plurality of castles Figure 13 an end view thereof; and

or lugs upon one face thereof, which are sub- Figure 14 a fragmentary sectional view taken stantially parallel with and in extension of some generally upon line ll-Hl of Figure 13. of the straight, sides of the nut with an opening The mechanism herein shown may be associ- 15 through the nut which may be counter-bored at ated with any pressure machine, such as a press one end or at opposite ends if desired, the inner or the like, although not, limited thereto.

walls of the castles or lugs being substantially As shown herein, l5 indicates the machine bed smooth, without threads, and located at a point or the like with which a die block I6 is connected, sufliciently distant from the axis of the nut so the latter having'associated therewith a plurality 2Q as to be out of the path of the tool during the of dies or the like at different stations.

threading operation. Either or both of the inner The die I! at station I being a cut-off die; dies and/or outer walls of the castles or lugs may be l8 and [9 at stations 2 and 3 respe being beveled without operations other than necessary pressure dies, as is also die 20 at station 4, and to form the nut. the die 2| at station 5 being a piercing die. To these and other ends my invention consists The cut-off die H has an opening therethrough in the means and method for making nuts as is of substantially the S Shape and Size in Cross hereinafter described and more particularly Section as the wire rod 22, from which the blanks pointed out in the drawings. 23 are cut by a knife 24. Referring to the drawings, in which like nu- Y In the face of the pressure die I8 is an opening 30 merals of reference indicate like parts in the of substantially the same diameter as the blank I several figures; 23 and if desired the bottom corners at 25 may Figure 1 is a perspective view\ of a complete be flared or rounded slightly which form an annut made under this invention; gularface 26 on the blank 23. Figure 2 an end view and elevation respective- The purpose of the operations at this station 35 ly of the blank as it is cut from the rod length is to assure the end faces of the blank being or otherwise produced; square with the sides, and parallel with each Figure 3 an end view and elevation of the blank other; if t nature of th tal i the blank after its f st pr ssu e operatifln Such Opera" is such that it does not cut off substantially n s s v s square with the knife 24, and the flared or round- 40 Figure 4 an end View and elevation at the ed corners 25 in the die It insure greater wear blank after a subsequent pressure operation; of the die and a longer life th ereof. Figure 5 an end and elevation thereof The operations at station 2 are not absolutely after a subsequent operation;

v 1 f t essential in this invention, but with some types Flgure 6 g g and e $3 32 3 of nut and material are desirable. a fggg i fi afier g g zgi gg Movable in an opening in the pressure die 18 13 7 a sectional View of h mechanism is a rod 52, the face of which in one of its posiused to produce the nut illustrated with a rod tions is substantially P the bQttom of the 0 length at the first station, and a blank in its parrecess in the and 1s ua ed by well known tially completed form in each of the other sta- Fleqhanism elect t blank o Sa d recess tions, the nut shown in section at station 4 hav- 1!! tlmiad i n w other p s: ing a collar that is substantially the same diam- Die I9 is similarly pr vid d with a recess in eter as the distance across the face of the nut its upper face and a knockout rod 21 actuated between the flat sides; by a plunger 28 or the like, which re ects the nut 3| and within gate is blank from the recess in timed relation with' other parts.

The die 20 has an opening therein of substantially the same shape in cross section as the finished nut, which, as illustrated herein, is hexagonal.

Within the bore of the die 20 is an abutment block 29 having an opening therein of substantially the same diameter as thecollar 30 on the hich is the knockout rod 32.

The piercing die I is held within a die holder 33 and thereabove and in spaced relation therewith is a stripper plate 34.

plunger, gate or Associated and movable with the plunger or a backing plate 56, against which contacts the ends of the several punches.

The end of the punch 36 is substantially the same diameter as that of the blank 23. After the blank is cut from the rod 22- and transferred in it, it is projected into the recess by the punch 36 and both ends are squared so as to be substantially parallel with each other and at right angles to the length of the blank. This operation insures a blank that is square and flat at both ends and without a bur, fin or the like thereon for presentation at its next succeeding station. This operation may be omitted within the scope of the 30 invention.

The punch 31 is provided with an opening or bore 53 therein and a recess 54 with angular or flaring walls in its operating face. as is the recess in the die IE to form the flaring angular walls 40- 40 upon the opposite faces oi the blank.

Extending into the body of the punch from the bottom of the recess 54 are a plurality of recesses 4i corresponding in number and shape with the number and shape of castles or lugs 42 upon the nut and into which the metal may flow. These notches the castles or lugs 42 so that the flow of the metal therein is not limited to a direction substantially parallel with the axis of the punch.

The shape and relative position of the side walls of these notches are determined in part by the shape andposition of the side walls of the castles or lugs 42.

Within the spirit of this invention and the scope 55 of the appended claims, the shape of the castles or in or bore 53 and lugs may be varied from that illustrated in the drawings.

Within the punch 31 is a combined pressure and knockout rod 43 which moves within the openis substantially the same diameter as the flat surfaces of the blank between the inner edges of the castles or lugs, as shown in Figure 4. 'I'hisrod 43 at its inner end contacts with the backing plate 56, at which-time its outer end is in upsetting pressure position and is actuated to eject the blank from the punch'by the coil spring 44. Y

The knockout rod 21 insures the ejection of the blank from the recess in the die I!) and likewise the knockout rod 32 from the recess in the die 20. The blank is compressed at station 3 between the. .ottom of the recess in the die l9 and the end of thejrod 21 on one side and the bottom of the =recess in the punch 31 and the end of the rod 43 :on the other side. the displaced metal flowing are of greater depth than the height of I into the notches 4| to produce the blank substantially as shown in Figure 4. The flow of this displaced metal is unrestrained axially because the notches 4| are deeper than the possible flow thereof, but is held against lateral flow by the side walls 55 of such notches.

The blank as shaped at station 3 is presented at station 4 in the recess in the die 20 and against the projection 46 on the end of the knockout rod 32 by the punch 38. This punch corresponds in shape in cross section with that of the finished nut and has a projection 45 upon its operating face similar to a like projection 46 upon the knockout rod 32 whereby depressions 41 are formed in the end faces of the nut, each of which becomes the counter-bore at the end of the opening 51 in the nut made'by a subsequent piercing operation. During the movement of the punch 38 the projection 45 thereon first contacts with the substantially fiat face 53 of the blank and applies pressure thereto.

In each of three of the flat sides 'of the punch 38 adjacent to the end thereof, is a recess 43. These are of substantially the same width as the castles or lugs 49 on the finished nut, but of greater depth, so that as pressure is applied to the opposite faces of the blank, the metal may flow into the recesses unrestrained substantially parallel with the axis of the punch and die, but confinedagainst lateral flow by the side walls of the recesses whereby the width of the castles or lugs is determined.

The cross sectional shape of the recesses 4| and 43 are substantially the same so that the width of the castles or lugs as first formed at station 3 is continued at station 4.

The nut has now acquired its complete exterior shape and is presented to station 5 where the punch 39 pierces the hole 51 therethrough. The slug 50 cut by this punch drops through the opening 5! into a receptacle conveniently .arranged to receive it, being the only waste piece of metal resulting from the operations described.

By the method and mechanism described there is formed from a blank and entirely by pressure a castellated nut, wherein the some of the sides of the nut, the inner walls located a suflicient distance from the axis of the nut to be outside of the line of the threads in the opening in the nut and if desired some of the walls of the castles or lugs being curved or angular.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of forming nuts 01 the castellated type, which includes first shaping a substantially cylindrical cold blank so that one face thereof is domed shape at spaced intervals and embryo castles project axially outwardly in the spaces therebetween and thereafter by separate tools applying pressure to said domed surfaces while in a confining area of predetermined configuration, whereby said domed surfaces will be flattened and 2. In combination with a die? a punch having an opening therethrough; a plurality of axial recesses extending radially from said opening and pressure lar faces, whereby the metal in the blank is caused to flow outwardly to the side walls defining the die opening, thereby to change the angular faces so that they will be at substantially a right angle to the axis of theblank and the axial projections may be increased in height by reasonthereof to form castles or lugs on the face of the blank.

3. The method of forming nuts of the castellated type which includes first applying pressure to an end face of a substantially cylindrically cold blank at spaced intervals about the edge thereof, and continuing such pressure to form a plurality of spaced areas upon said face that are inclined downwardly toward the outer edge thereof and the spaces between said areas are projected upwardly to form embryo castles, and thereafter, while in a confining area, applying pressure to that portion of the face of the blank that is centrally located between the embryo castles and to said spaced areas to cause the inclined faces of. the spaced areas to be flattened to a plane at subincrease the embryo castles in relative height while the blank remains in its initial cold state. 4. The method of forming nuts of the castellated type which includes first applying pressure to an end face of a substantially cylindrical blank at spaced intervals about the edge thereof, and continuing such pressure to form a plurality of spaced areas upon said faces that are inclined downwardly toward the outer edge thereof and the spaces between said areas are projected upwardly to form embryo castles, and thereafter, while in a confining area, applying pressure to that portion of the face of the blank that is centrally located 5 between the embryo castles and ,to said spaced areas to cause the inclined faces of the spaced areas to be flattened to a plane at substantially a right angle to the axis of the nut and increase the embryo castles in relative height, the top and 0 outer faces of the embryo castles being at substantially a right angle to each other but at an acute angle to each of the adjoining surfaces.

5. The method of forming nuts of the castellated type which includes first applying pressure to an 5 end face of a substantially cylindrical blank at spaced intervals about the edge thereof, and continuing such pressure to form a plurality of spaced areas upon said face that are inclined downwardly toward the outer edge thereof and the spaces between said areas are projected upwardly to form embryo castles and thereafter, while in a confining area, applying pressure to that portion of the face of the blank that is centrally located between the embryo castles and to said spaced areas 5 to cause the inclined faces of the spaced areas to be flattened to a plane at substantially a right angle to the axis of the nut and increase the ,embryo castles in relative height, and each having a top that flares inwardly and outwardly toward the said face of the nut. Y

6. The method of forming nuts of the castellated type, which includes first shaping a substantially cylindrical blank so that one face thereof is domed shape at spaced intervals and embryo 5 castles project axially outwardly in the spaces stantially a right angle to the axis of the nut and therebetween and thereafter by separate tools applying pressure first to that portion of said face that is centrally located between the said embryo castles and gradually to said spaced domed areas until said domed areas are substantially fiat, the last mentioned pressure being applied while the blank is in a confining area of predetermined configuration.

'7. The method of forming nuts of the castellated 1 type, which includes first shaping a substantially cylindrical blank so that one face thereof is domed shape at spaced intervals and embryo castles project axially outwardly in the spaces therebetween and thereafter by separate tools applying pressure to said domed surfaces while in a confining area of predetermined configuration, whereby said domed surfaces willbe flattened and the pressure applied thereto will cause the metal in the blank to fiow outwardly to form the finished exterior of the nut and the embryo castles to be extended in height and thereafter removing a portion of the blank between the castles to form a hole therethrough and threading the same.

9. The method of forming nuts of the castellated type, which includes first shaping a substantially cylindrical blank with one face domed andthe opposite face dome shape at spaced intervals; and embryo castles projecting axially outward in the spaces therebetween, and thereafter by separate tools apply pressure to the first mentioned domed face and to that portion of the last mentioned face thatis centrally located between the embryo castles and gradually to said spaced domed areas until said domed areas are substantially flat, except where the castles are located and the space between the castles having a depression therein.

10. Means for making nuts, comprising in part a punch having an axially extending bore, an annular substantially flat end face, a plurality of recesses extending radially from the bore and a pressure face between each of saidrecesses, spaced from the said end face, that flare inwardly from said end face to said bore, in combination with a movable member within the opening, the end face of which during the pressure movement of the punch is spaced inwardly from said end face and in substantially the same plane as the inwardly they join the said opening.

11. Means for making nuts, comprising in part a punch having an axially extending bore, an annular substantially flat end face, a plurality of recesses extending radially from the bore and a pressure face between each, of said recesses, spaced from the said end face, that flare inwardly from said end face to said bore, in combination with a movable member within the flaring pressure faces as they join the said opening, and means for actu ating the movable member independently of the punch, after the pressure operation, whereby to eject a blank from the punch.

12. Means for making nuts, comprising in part a punch having an axially extending bore and an annular substantially fiat end face concentric with said bore, a plurality of pressure faces that flare inwardly from the inner edge of said end face, the juncture of said pressure faces with said bore defining a plane which is spaced axially from the plane of said end face and in the direction of the body portion of said punch, in combination with a movable member within the bore, the end face of which during the pressure movement of the punch lies substantially in said first mentioned plane.

13. The method of making castle nuts which comprises upsetting a section of stock and in the same operation forming castle prongs at one end of the section, and then forming corners on the blank by squeezing some of the metal of the blank outwardly between each pair of castle prongs.

14. The method of making a castellated nut blank comprising shaping a blank to provide a substantially dome-shaped surface on one face thereof and simultaneouslyinitiating the formation of the locking lugs on the dome-shaped surface, then compressing all portions of the blank save for the locking lugs to shape the blank to its'finished configuration while simultaneously extruding metal to complete the formation of the locking lugs.

15. The-method of making a castellated nut blank comprising shaping a blank and simultaneously initiating the formation of the locking lugs of the nut, compressing all portions of the blank save for the locking lugs while placing the blank in its finished configuration and simultaneously extruding metal to complete the looking lugs and off-setting the lugs outwardly.

16. Mechanism for the formation of castellated nut blanks, comprising a punch having a concaved area on its working face provided with recesses for forming locking lugs on a blank, said recesses opening at said face and extending radially for a distance substantially coextensive with the radius of said concaved area and extending longitudinally of the punch a length greater than the height of the said lugs.

17. The method of making a castellated nut blank, comprising initially shaping a blank and further shaping simultaneously initiating the formation of the locking lugs of the nut, then compressing all portions of the blank save for the locking lugs while placing the blank in its finished configuration, and simultaneously extruding metal to complete the locking lugs and allowing the extruded metal to flow unhindered.

18. The method of making a castellated nut blank comprising shaping a blank to provide a substantially dome-shaped surface on one face thereof and simultaneously initiating the formation of the locking lugs on the dome shaped surface, and compressing the blank save for the locking lugs while further shaping the blank and simultaneously extruding material from the blank to complete the formation of the locking lugs.

19. The method of making a castellated nut blank comprising shaping a blank to provide a substantially dome-shaped surface on one face thereof, initiating the formation of the locking lugs on the dome-shaped surface, and compressing the blank save for the locking lugs while the blank and extruding material from the blank to complete the formation of the locking lugs.

20. The method of making a castellatednut blank comprising shaping a blank and simultaneously initiating the fomiation of the locking lugs of the nut, compressing the blank save for the locking 'lugs while placing the blank in its finished configuration, and simultaneously extruding material from the blank to complete the locking lugs, and off-setting the lugs outwardly.

21. The method of making a castellated nut blank comprising shaping a blank'and simultaneously initiating the formation of the locking lugs of the nut, then compressing the blank, save for the locking lugs while further shaping the blank, and simultaneously extruding material from the blank to complete the locking lugs and allowing the extruded material to flow unhindered.

22. The method of making a castellated nut blank comprising shaping a blank, initiating on the blank' the formation of the locking lugs of the nut, compressing the blank save for the looking lugs while further shaping the blank, and extruding material from the blank to complete the locking lugs and allowing the extruded material to flow unhindered.

RICHARD LESTER WILCOX. 

